Little Cahuilla Mountain, Cahuilla Mountain, Rock Point, Lookout Mountain #1

11-12 February 1967

By: Beth Pferdner

Leader: Larry Salmon
Asst.: Beth Pferdner

The weather was perfect Feb. 11-12 and the climbers in fine fettle for the mixture of ascents that confronted them. First on the agenda was a bushwhack to the summit of Little Cahuilla, at last count the lowest peak on our list. Nursing their scratched and bloodied limbs, the 40 participants (including 18 children) assaulted, mostly by foot trail, Cahuilla, Allesandro's refuge where, so he said, "No white man will ever set foot." Before heading for Hurkey Creek Campground, some of the group stopped off at the town (?) of Cahuilla to take a look at Ramona's and Allesandro's graves.

Sunday leader Larry Salmon, ignoring the fact that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points, led those who were still game on a circle tour to Rock Point. Using ropes for belay on the ascent of the summit rock, a group of nineteen signed in. Many scored a first for HPS by rappelling the 20 feet off the rock. Many thanks to Bob and Jim Van Allen, Bob Guyan, and Joe Darrow for their expert belaying. The group also saw a fine demonstration by the "Flying Akawies".

Lookout Mountain supplied an end for the four-bagger. This consisted of firebreak and ridge running. The show over, the group dispersed for a variety of routes back to the smoggy metropolitan area.